Stephano

So we are waiting in the station in Nice for our train (which is late) and an elderly gentleman starts talking to us.  “The French are so rude, they don’t answer your questions” he says.  Turns out we were all heading to Marseilles (Fran and I and this gentleman).  We talked some more and he found out I spoke some Italian.  He introduced himself as Stephano and asked our names (in Italian). He was going to visit a cousin that was having Kidney problems in Marseilles.  Stephano lives in England and has his own business renting houses.  He spoke at least four languages fluently (English, Italian, German and French).  He was 76 years old and spent 8 months a year traveling (he has a brother that lives in New York and two sisters one in England and one in Sicily – where he was born).  Most of his family is now in New York.  His son watches the business when he is away.

After a long discussion about family and how the English didn’t appreciate it he began to fill us in on the intricacies of the French train system.  He showed us how to read train schedules (they are a bit different than Italy – less logical we all agreed), warned us too be on the train at least 5 minutes before departure time (the French won’t let folks on if they are much later – a truism we witnessed), and explained how to validate tickets (OK that part we knew). 

We spent a very pleasant half hour talking to and learning from him.  We didn’t exchange e-mails or phone numbers so we’ll never see each other again.  When the train finally arrived our seating was at opposite ends.  We said goodbye and went our separate  ways but it was a small encounter I won’t forget.  He was a kind and gentle man that taught us about the SCNF (French railway system).  I hope others are fortunate enough to run into Stephano when lost in a train station.